The present invention relates to a cup dispenser and to a membrane for use in such a cup dispenser, and more particularly to such cup dispenser from which each of the cups contained therein can be pulled out one by one.
Many fast food shops such as hamburger shops use dispensable cups fabricated of paper or styrofoam, and these dispensable cups are received in a cup dispenser so that each cup may be pulled out one by one.
Such a type of cup dispenser is disclosed in Japanese JITSUYO-SHIN-AN-KOHO (Publication of Examined Utility Model Application for Opposition) SHOWA 59(1984)-11087 (Hereinafter referred to as JIKKOSHO 59-11087) proposed by the inventor of the present invention.
The cup dispenser disclosed by the JIKKOSHO 59-11087 is of the type which comprises a circular outer cylinder in which a coil spring attached with a cup pusher is disposed, an adaptor for delivering cups attached on the flange provided on the top of the outer cylinder, and these two members are covered with a lid so as to form an integrally formed unit.
The adaptor described in the JIKKOSHO 59-11087 is formed as a sub-assembly by stacking a plurality of thin annular frame rings and resilient ring membranes alternately one by one, and then fixing them by set screws into an integral member.
It is required for installing the cup dispenser disclosed in JIKKOSHO 59-11087 to drill a hole or holes on the wall or the counter table, relying on which the cup dispenser is fixed. Consequently, it takes considerable length of time and work, in addition, there arises another problem that the place suitable for placing the cup dispenser is apt to be limited, for instance, it is usually difficult to fixedly place such cup dispenser or the like on a counter.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a cup dispenser which can be readily installed and yet at the place freely selected or changed depending on the condition of the shop.
It is usual, in a fast food shop, to use many cups of larger sizes in summer season for selling cold drinks and smaller ones for serving hot drinks in winter.
Accordingly, it is required for these shops to have a cup dispenser or dispensers capable of receiving cups having different sizes depending on the season.
In order to receive cups of different sizes in a cup dispenser, each of the membranes received in the adaptor of the cup dispenser must have circular opening having a diameter of enough size suitable for the cups of various sizes to be used. Since the adaptor membrane has resiliency, it can be used without replacing if the circular opening of the membrane is slightly larger than the diameter of the cup, but in case where the diameter of the cup is considerably larger than that of the opening, the cup may be deformed or the opening of the membrane damaged, if one tries to forcibly pull out the cup for use.
Consequently, it is usually required to use a membrane having a central opening of suitable size, in order for which use needs disassembling the adaptor for replacing the membrane under use, or alternatively replace the entire adaptor with another one having been provided with suitable membrane(s).
However, there has been the problem of troublesome work in the aforesaid replacement of either the membranes only or the entire adaptor member, since it is necessary to remove the lid and then disassemble the cup dispenser and assemble the cup dispenser again. In addition, the adaptor membrane of the type fabricated of a silicone rubber sheet by die blanking using a die of doughnut like shape, is liable to form a cracks even from minor scratches formed during the die punching, which gives rise to a poor durability, lower resiliency and further a restricted adaptability to the range of the diameter of the cups to be received.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a membrane for a cup dispenser having sufficient resiliency and wider adaptability to the range of the diameter of the cups as well as being unsusceptible to the formation of crack or cracks and having superior durability.